The Giants' 2023 MLB season has been filled with ups and downs, and the offseason is just around the corner.
But after missing the MLB playoffs for a second straight season and firing manager Gabe Kapler on Friday, will San Francisco still be able to lure free agents to the Bay once the fun begins?
Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi isn't too worried.
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"I'm not concerned about our reputation with free agents. I don't mean that to sound arrogant or like we're out of touch," Zaidi told reporters Friday. "As we said earlier when talking about the manager search, this is a great ballpark, this is a great city to play in, this is a great organization, and I know a lot of players would be excited to put this uniform on."
Plenty depends on who the Giants choose as their next manager, of course, with Zaidi stating a decision should be made before the offseason begins in November. But while Zaidi isn't concerned about San Francisco's reputation, others around the league reportedly are.
Even before Kapler's firing, The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly reported last week that some industry insiders believe the Giants have "damaged" their reputation on the free-agent market with their platoon-heavy methods and handling of their pitching staff this season.
And with a Shohei Ohtani pursuit on the horizon, the Giants can't afford any blemishes on their record. But Zaidi doesn't foresee any lack of action on San Francisco's end.
San Francisco Giants
"I have conversations with agents all the time about the players they have on this team, what might be happening over the offseason, and I know we're going to be getting a lot of engagement from players that may be available," Zaidi said.
"Very confident in that."